Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Joseph LiMandri Jr.
Age: 17.
Current home: Garden City, New York.
Current height/weight: 5’7”/130 pounds.
Current school grade level: 11th grade.
Began riding at age: 5 years.
First road race: 2012, Millville, New Jersey, NJminiGP, Spec 50 Class, 4thplace.
Current racebike: Kawasaki Ninja 400.
Current tuner/mechanic: Bauce Racing.
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Junior Cup.
Top sponsors: SportbikeTrackGear.com, Bauce Racing, CyberSafe Solutions, RST-Moto, Arai Helmets, Orient Express Racing, Evolve GT Trackdays, K-Tech Suspension, N2 Trackdays, Woodcraft Technologies, Motul, Vortex Racing, Precision Autoworks, Chickenhawk Racing, Scott Powersports, Gazebo Contracting Inc, Metric Devil Moto.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, finished 10th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (3 podium finishes), finished 4th in CCS Mid-Atlantic Regional Overall Championship (placed in the top 5 of 4 CCS Mid-Atlantic class Championships); 2020 season, finished 10th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (best race results was 2nd at NJMP); 2019 season, finished 5th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup race at VIR, injured for most of 2019 season; 2018 season, won 3 CCS Regional Championships, placed 2nd in 3 other CCS Regional Championships, 21 race wins, 29 podium finishes.
2022 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: To compete at the World Championship level.
Racing hero: Valentino Rossi.
Favorite track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Favorite hobby: Motocross.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Wishing I was racing.
